Benenden Health has appointed Tom Woolgrove (pictured) as chief executive officer (CEO).
Woolgrove succeeds interim CEO Darrell Evans, who took over from previous CEO Bob Andrews in the spring.
His previous roles include CEO of Premium Credit, chief transformation officer for the Bank of Ireland, and managing director of UK personal lines at Direct Line Group.
He has also served as president of the Chartered Insurance Institute and as a board member of the Finance and Leasing Association.
He will be responsible for driving the strategic corporate goals for the benefit of Benenden Health’s more than 870,000 members. He joins the board of directors and will sit on various committees and boards of group companies, including Benenden Wellbeing Limited.
According to Health & Protection‘s individual PMI report for 2024, Benenden covered 808,158 lives as of the end of 2023, up from 787,814 at the close of 2022. This was the largest number of lives covered among the nine insurers in the report.
Woolgrove said: “Benenden Health is carving out a deserved place as a leading affordable private healthcare provider that supports, not challenges, our NHS when it’s under pressure, and I am delighted to be a part of it.
“Consolidating its position as the UK’s largest consumer health provider and supporting the likes of Wren Kitchens, Parcelforce and Danske Bank with their employees’ health and wellbeing are just a few of Benenden Health’s achievements.
“I am excited to join at such a pivotal stage for not only the business’s growth but also the private healthcare market.”
David Furniss, chairman of Benenden Health’s board of directors, added: “Tom’s impressive track record of leading and scaling financial services companies speaks for itself, so we are really pleased he’s chosen to join us.
“We are just embarking on a five-year growth strategy, ensuring our customers see as much value with continued service innovation, whilst working closer than ever with our membership.
“On behalf of everyone at Benenden Health, we welcome Tom to the team and look forward to him leading our efforts to improve the nation’s health.”